As you can probably tell, running is a little bit of an obsession for me! Six years ago, I weighed ~280 pounds and running (with diet improvements) saved my life. I weighed in this morning at a cool 191! This past week's race was significant for me and not just because I ran a personal record for a 5-Mile race of 33:56 but rather, HOW I did it. My mile 'splits' (runner jargon for intermediate times during a race) were roughly 6:36, 6:45, 6:57, 6:59, and 6:34.
The last mile is key because I ran a 6:34 mile AFTER running fast for 4 miles! It was a testament to my theory that a good portion of running in races is psychological - if you're body is trained and in good shape, then only your mind is left to make-or-break a race. The 5-Miler this weekend showed me that. At just before 4 miles, I began to talk to myself (oh well, don't judge me too harshly!) and pumping myself to start passing people in front of me - first, I saw a Clydesdale runner who I have never beaten in a race before (Clydesdales are big-guy runners - 190 pounds and up) and set my sights on him - passed him soon after the 4-mile point.
Then I began to pick the next person in front of me and the next and so on, until I had taken out about 10 runners in that last mile! When I saw my time of 6:34 for that last leg, I was ASTONISHED! Never would I have thought I could have done such a thing - but that's just the thing - 'thoughts' play a LOT in how you perform. If you THINK you cannot possibly do it then you most certainly will NOT, but if you THINK you can (and you're trained well), then surprising results will happen.
My next goal - a sub-20:00 5K.....I THINK I can do it!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Post Memorial Day @ Work...
Well, it was a wonderful weekend. Began at the dock bar at Brew River in Salisbury Friday afternoon, the the Greene Turtle til 2:00! Whew, what a night...good friends, good drink, good entertainment. Saturday was a lazy day at the park lying out in the sun, snoozing and having a picnic...in bed early that night to prepare for the 'crack of dawn' awakening Sunday morning to make it to Lewes, DE for the 15th Masser 5-Miler.
I have to admit, I did not feel real good about running 5 miles that day but showed up anyway. I had set a PR (personal record) of 35:41 in the same race back in 2006 and have really been trying to break under 35:00 for the 5-mile distance since (the magic sub-7:00 per mile pace). Since this year has been very good for my running (taking down PRs in the half marathon, 10-miler and 10K distances), I was thinking I might be able to at least break that old 35:41 time. Lo and behold, I SMOKED the race - scoring a 33:56 and first place in my division! A 6:47/mile pace. It felt really good and, except for a little stiffness in my right leg, I am none the worse for wear...my next target is that elusive sub-20:00 5K time....
One alarming note is that there was a lady at the race that was having trouble breathing and chest pain...turns out she had a heart attack after the race and had to be carried away by ambulance...latest word was that she was being fitted with a pace maker but I am not sure of her fate...my prayers go out to her.
After the 5-Miler, Jonna and I hit the beach in Rehoboth for the day, then Irish Eyes in Lewes for HH with a group of runners that evening...a very good time. We were lucky enough to find an open room to stay in Rehoboth that night and hit the beach again the next day...after a Thai food lunch, it was back inland to bale hay (yes, BALE HAY - 200 bales) in Pocomoke...LOL - it was a LOT of fun and good ol' fashioned hard Eastern Shore work! I looked like a sacre crow when I finished - sweating with it acting as glue for sprigs of hay all over my body!!!
Well, it was a wonderful weekend. Began at the dock bar at Brew River in Salisbury Friday afternoon, the the Greene Turtle til 2:00! Whew, what a night...good friends, good drink, good entertainment. Saturday was a lazy day at the park lying out in the sun, snoozing and having a picnic...in bed early that night to prepare for the 'crack of dawn' awakening Sunday morning to make it to Lewes, DE for the 15th Masser 5-Miler.
I have to admit, I did not feel real good about running 5 miles that day but showed up anyway. I had set a PR (personal record) of 35:41 in the same race back in 2006 and have really been trying to break under 35:00 for the 5-mile distance since (the magic sub-7:00 per mile pace). Since this year has been very good for my running (taking down PRs in the half marathon, 10-miler and 10K distances), I was thinking I might be able to at least break that old 35:41 time. Lo and behold, I SMOKED the race - scoring a 33:56 and first place in my division! A 6:47/mile pace. It felt really good and, except for a little stiffness in my right leg, I am none the worse for wear...my next target is that elusive sub-20:00 5K time....
One alarming note is that there was a lady at the race that was having trouble breathing and chest pain...turns out she had a heart attack after the race and had to be carried away by ambulance...latest word was that she was being fitted with a pace maker but I am not sure of her fate...my prayers go out to her.
After the 5-Miler, Jonna and I hit the beach in Rehoboth for the day, then Irish Eyes in Lewes for HH with a group of runners that evening...a very good time. We were lucky enough to find an open room to stay in Rehoboth that night and hit the beach again the next day...after a Thai food lunch, it was back inland to bale hay (yes, BALE HAY - 200 bales) in Pocomoke...LOL - it was a LOT of fun and good ol' fashioned hard Eastern Shore work! I looked like a sacre crow when I finished - sweating with it acting as glue for sprigs of hay all over my body!!!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Memorial Day Weekend!
SUMMER is upon us! Glory be! Looks to be a nice weekend weather-wise here on the good ol' Eastern Shore of Maryland - low 70s today slowly increasing to 80 or so by Monday. Lots of running coming up as well as the Masser 5-Miler in Lewes, DE is Sunday morning and the first of the "Seven Sisters and Four Brothers" races happens Monday morning with the Dewey Beach Liquors 5K.
I am still after that elusive sub-20:00 5K...and this year is my best shot so far. At 48, I have been running for 5 years or so (since I was a whopping 280 lbs - I am now 193, but that story is for another blog entry), but this year I am having the best running of my life - shattering PRs (personal records in runner-speak) in the Half Marathon (1:37:22), 10-Miler (1:14:22), 15K (1:08:05), and 10K (43:51). Now, I hope to take out my 5-Miler PR of 35:41 from a couple of years ago - actually, I hope to achieve a sub-35:00 time and break the 7:00/mile pace for the distance. My 5K PR is 20:12 set back in 2006 and I have been getting closer this year having run a 20:32 in this past week's Courageous Christopher 5K...I will have a chance at breaking that come June 15th in Rehoboth...
Have a great weekend all!
I am still after that elusive sub-20:00 5K...and this year is my best shot so far. At 48, I have been running for 5 years or so (since I was a whopping 280 lbs - I am now 193, but that story is for another blog entry), but this year I am having the best running of my life - shattering PRs (personal records in runner-speak) in the Half Marathon (1:37:22), 10-Miler (1:14:22), 15K (1:08:05), and 10K (43:51). Now, I hope to take out my 5-Miler PR of 35:41 from a couple of years ago - actually, I hope to achieve a sub-35:00 time and break the 7:00/mile pace for the distance. My 5K PR is 20:12 set back in 2006 and I have been getting closer this year having run a 20:32 in this past week's Courageous Christopher 5K...I will have a chance at breaking that come June 15th in Rehoboth...
Have a great weekend all!
My new Blog
Hi all:
WELCOME to my blog...here I plan to ramble on about things I might be interested in...this might entail my hobbies like running, watercolors, photography, writing or genealogy. Or, it just might cover random thoughts and items of the day..stop in from time-to-time as visit awhile!
WELCOME to my blog...here I plan to ramble on about things I might be interested in...this might entail my hobbies like running, watercolors, photography, writing or genealogy. Or, it just might cover random thoughts and items of the day..stop in from time-to-time as visit awhile!
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